Letters
by Alexandra Lenria
Summary: Its been 10 years since Kagome saw him, heard his voice and felt his arms in an embrace, ten years since the well stopped working. Kagome suddenly recieves an envelope containing ancient letters. Are these letters only the begining? BEING EDITED
1. Chapter 1

**Letters  
**By: Alexandra Lenria  
_Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha.  
_  
The Goshinboku... it symbolized in Kagome's mind something that could transcend time. Whatever time it was, whatever era she was in, it would always lead her home. Kagome walked to the grand, old tree and stared up at it's vined bark and outstretched branches. She went to one of the exposed tangled roots and sat down as she waited. Inuyasha would be here soon. She looked again up at the tree. _'If only I were about to transcend time as you can...' _

It was true. The well's power was fading. Kaede had told her so. _"The well has an aura like no other, the same aura surrounds you. That aura is fading. I'm afraid ye have only so much more time before it ceases to work." _But it was okay this way. Naraku had been killed, Kikyou put finally to rest, and everyone was to live happily ever after. _'Except for me.' _she thought.

There really wasn't any more use for her anymore anyway, was there? So why would the well keep working? Just so she could jump back and forth through time? She had been thinking about this for a long time, and she knew that the well wouldn't work forever. She had been prepared to say goodbye to Sango and Miroku, Shippou and all the others... but this one she wasn't so prepared for.

She heard a small movement in the trees above her, and sensed his demonic energy. Though it wasn't as strong as other demon's energy, Kagome could sense this one from a mile away at times. Inuyasha was here. She sat there for a moment, and waited for him to come out, but acted like she didn't know he was there. A minute or so passed by, and he still didn't come out.

"I'm guessing you heard what Kaede said." Kagome said, barely above a whisper. She looked up to the branches of Goshinboku and saw a spot of red, the red of Inuyasha's fire rat coat. He stayed there. Kagome looked down to the ground again, knowing he wasn't going to come down.

"I already said goodbye to the others." she said, more loud than before. "They wanted to have a small party in the village before I leave..." she kicked some of the dirt at the base of the tree. She wasn't sure what to say. Inuyasha remained silent. "I told them no, though. I'd rather not be celebrating something so...you know." she guessed Inuyasha understood what she meant. The others had.

Many minutes passed, and Kagome wouldn't have been sure if Inuyasha was still there if she couldn't sense his energy. She leaned back on the bark of the trunk of the tree. Neither of the two said anything. "I'm leaving at sundown." she concluded. It was silent again, besides the birds and the movement of the forest, which seemed to happily mock her with their joyous sounds of spring. She sighed.

Inuyasha said something from high up in the tree. "This isn't goodbye." His voice sounded dark and pained. Kagome winced and shot her head to look up at him. She couldn't see his face, but she tried to look in that general direction. How could he be so stupid at a time like this, so in denial? Of course it was goodbye.

"What is it then, Inuyasha!" she yelled. The tears she had held before when talking to the others escaped her eyes, though they were released from frustration. "There's only one last trip through the well left, and only enough energy for one of us!" Kagome stood up and stared at what she could see of him. "You're going to be stuck here, and I'm going to be stuck there! There's no way getting around that!" She heard movement in the trees. She watched as he landed a few feet away from her, the red of his coat lapping around him like fire, his hair the tip of the flame. She slowly calmed down as he neared her. His ears were pressed down flat against his head, and he stared at the ground as he walked closer. Still, while at a distance, he held out a upturned fisted hand. He raised his head to look at her. One glance of his eyes seemed remove that barrier she had keeping her from her sadness. She broke down and raced to embrace him.

"Inuyasha... I'm going to miss you so much..." she cried into his kimono. Slowly, his arms went around her smaller form.

"Kagome... I told you this isn't goodbye." Kagome thought about waking up the next morning, getting up and taking a shower then putting on her uniform and combing her hair, instead of getting ready for battle in the feudal era. She'd walk down the stairs and go into the kitchen for breakfast, instead of getting sweets for Shippou and ramen for Inuyasha, then wave goodbye to her family as she went off to school, instead of going to the well house and jumping back in time. She tightened her grip around Inuyasha's waist, as if holding him here would keep him from leaving her.

"Inuyasha... I think it is goodbye." she spoke into his kimono. Was he in denial? "I really think it is."

"No," he said. Kagome felt one of his arms withdraw from her side and pull in between the two. He held something in his fisted hand. Kagome already knew, sensed, what it was

. "Inuyasha, how is the Shikon Jewel going to help?" she asked, taking his hand into hers as she pulled the jewel from his own palm. She had given it to him in the end, letting him decide what he wanted to do with it.

"I think-" he paused and took it back from her gently, "I think that maybe I could wish to live longer... and meet you in the future." he ran his hand over the completed jewel. "I mean- sure, I'd live longer, you know because I'm a half demon- but even half demons grow old." He paused and looked Kagome in the eyes, taking her hands in his, putting the jewel once again in her hands. "I asked Kaede for long I might live... she wasn't sure herself, but she said probably three hundred more years." Inuyasha turned away from Kagome and looked up at the old tree behind them. "Thats three hundred years, Kagome! But its still not long enough, is it?" he turned his head and looked back at her. Kagome looked down at the ground, unsure. Would the jewel be able to do that? Would it really grant him near immortality? But how would could he wait for 500 years for her?

"No... I will be," she paused, not truly wanting to say it out loud. "I'll be 500 years away from you." she fingered the jewel in her hand.

"Then, I will use the jewel to make myself have the life span of a full demon." he said softly. He went to her and ran his hands behind her back, "I won't forget you." he promised as he put his head into her hair, inhaling her scent.

"But... five hundred years, Inuyasha? How do you know you won't forget me? What if... what if things change?" What if he finds someone else?

"Kagome." he addressed, forcing her to look up at him, "You don't have to worry about that."

"I can't _not_ worry about it." she paused, staring into his golden eyes. "I- this- this may be the last time I ever see you again." Inuyasha caught one of the tears that fell from her watery eyes and wiped it away.

"Just leave it all to me, Kagome. Don't worry." A weary smile formed on his lips as he bent down to kiss her gently. She kissed back, but he pulled away. The falling sun caught his attention and Kagome's attention followed with it.

"I don't want to go home, Inuyasha." she said, hugging him even more tight than before. "I love you so much..."

"I love you, too, Kagome." he whispered as they stood together. Reluctantly, however, he let go of her and started walking towards the clearing. The clearing where the well sat, waiting. This would be the last time she'd ever see any of this. She looked back at the God tree, then at the forest surrounding it. Slowly, she walked behind Inuyasha, trying to imprint the image of the land she was going to be forced to leave behind.

They arrived at the well. Kagome looked down into the ordinary looking black pit. No one would have even guessed that this wooden contraption would connect two different worlds- two different times. She looked beside her. Inuyasha stood, also looking down into the well, and then to her.

"Kagome, I'll see you in about five hundred years." He helped her over the lip of the well, her arms grasping his forearms, and his grasping hers. Her heart sped up, she grasped his forearms tighter in a panic. She didn't want to go back now! Forget her family... They'd understand! She'll stay here with Inuyasha!

"Inuyasha, wait! I don't want-" but before she could say anymore he let go of her. She watched, as if it were slow motion in a movie, Inuyasha's face becoming smaller and smaller as she dropped into the well, then to be consumed by the so familiar black space.

And then, she was alone.

- - - - -

Kagome greeted the visitors with a smile and a laugh as a married couple stepped off the last step leading up to the shrine along with a very tired looking little girl who had apparently wanted to climb every last step herself. The man picked up the girl and perched her onto his shoulders as the small family continued to wander about the shrine. It was families like this that made Kagome fell a small knot in her stomach pang throughout her whole body. But she ignored it for now. It was spring now and things needed to be done, and she was not going to stand around moping.

Just as she was about to turn and go into the storage room, which she had been planning to clean out for some time, someone called her name from down the shrine's tall set of stairs and caught Kagome's attention. She looked down and saw a young man starting to run up the stairs.

"Kagome!" he yelled as he climbed up the stairs. Kagome couldn't believe she hadn't recognized him. He had grown taller... not that he wasn't taller than her the last time she had seen him. And his face had thinned out substantially. Well, school could do that to you- make you really stressed out.

"Oh, hello Souta!" she said as she waved. It had been a few years since she had seen him, but she didn't think she wouldn't recognize her own little brother. He managed up the final step, heaving and puffing.

"Is Mom and Gramps home?" he asked as he regained his breath. Kagome smirked at his attire. A professional looking business suit.

"Aw, look at you," she taunted as she had to reach up to pinch her now taller brother's cheek. "You're all grown up." He hit her hand away gently and smiled.

"Yep, thats me. Mr. Higurashi is home." he said with a smile as he made his way over to the door. Kagome couldn't help but to think of how time seemed to fly. It seemed like months ago that she was feet taller than him, picking on him for being so small.

Souta looked back and noticed that Kagome wasn't following him. "You coming?" he asked, stopping to wait for her. She hadn't noticed she was staring off into no where.

"N-no, thats alright. I have things to be done." she said with a wave. "You go ahead, Mom is making some dinner for tonight." He nodded and continued to the house. Kagome sighed and looked to the stone ground. It really had been ten years. Ten years since Inuyasha let her drop into the well, with that smile on his face. She glanced over at the well house, then she stopped her thoughts. She had to go clean out that storage. So, with a determined puff of her fist, she set off to do it.

She had never gone to college, deciding that since Souta seemed to lack and interest in running the shrine one day, she might as well be the one to do it. Though she was reluctant at first to listen to her Grandpa's old stories, stories that probably weren't true, she tried her best to memorize most of the old stories and legends. Who knows, maybe her own tale would be a story one day?

She was sorting through some old scrolls that her Grandpa had told her were 400 some years old. She had to organize them, in what way she didn't know, so that everything in the junky old building would fit without being damaged. She pulled one carefully open, and scanned over what it said. The writing was barely readable as it was, and adding to that was the old speech of the people then. It had something to do with time... Whatever. Kagome slowly rolled it back and placed it into its round casing. She was about to move on to the next one when her grandpa called for her.

"Kagome, Kagome!" she heard him yell, his voice nearing the building. "You just got a package."

Well, that was odd. Rarely ever did Kagome get mail, let alone packages. "Who is it from, Grandpa?" she asked, dusting herself off as she rose off the dusty floor of the small building. He stood in the doorway, holding an envelope that was wide and cushioned. It looked like any other package.

"I'm not sure. I didn't think to look." Kagome took it from his hand and looked at it on all sides. It was a worn envelope, and it didn't seem to have anything in it. What could it be? On it was written:

Kagome Higurashi

Higurashi Shrine

"Well thats odd, theres nothing else written on it." she wondered aloud. Who would send something to her without leaving any return address? And this couldn't have been sent through mail, there wasn't a single stamp on it, or the actual street address of the shrine. "Who dropped it off here?" Kagome asked, looking to her grandpa.

"I don't know, I was walking back from the grocery and saw it at the top of the steps." Wasn't she just out there? She probably would have seen who it was from climbing the steps, right?

"Did you see anyone around?" she asked him.

"Not a soul."

- - - - -

Later that evening, Kagome sat in her room as she prepared to go to bed. She slipped on her favorite and most comfortable t-shirt and pants and sat on her bed across from the small package. She slid her hand over it, wondering just where it came from. It was old, she could tell. The corners were beginning to rot. She quickly went over to her desk and grabbed a pair of scissors to cut the top from the envelope. She again examined the hand writing, taking note of the penmanship. It wasn't familiar at all, but it was strangely common looking, as if it were purposefully a little off what you'd call neat, but not sloppy. She popped open the top.

The first thing she noticed was the smell. It was an old, dusty smell, like the smell of an old book. She looked into the package.

It looked like a small stack of brown papers, all tied together with a piece of string, which carefully withdrew and cut with the scissors. There was a thin layer of dust on the paper which She blew off. The dust casually floated to the pink spread of her bed. There was writing on it. It was very hard to read and slightly faded so Kagome moved over to her desk and pulled her lamp down to see it in better light. She squinted to read the very sloppy looking writing scribbled over the old looking paper.

_Kagome, Kagome. Its been 10 years Kagome. Time moves so fast, but it still moves so slow. 490 more years to go, Kagome. I haven't forgotten about you, like I promised. Sango and Miroku have three children now. Shippou grew a few feet and then wandered off on his own. I don't know what else to say, but I want you to know that I love you and I am still thinking of you every passing day._

The words rang through her head. This... these letters... She shook as she thought of it, tears brimming her eyes. These letters were from Inuyasha! She dropped the paper onto her desk and looked away, her hand covering her mouth in shock. She shakily looked again at the thin paper laying on her desk. Was it real? Did he really write these letters? Her hand visibly trembled as she reached out to it again. She read over it three times. But- but how did he send these things to her? Was he here, was he the one who sent them? She ran over to her bed, and read the next thin piece of paper, different though than the one she had earlier.

"_Kagome, things are getting harder in the village. There has been a severe drought, and women and children are dying. Kagome, I am so happy right now that you are in the future, not having to worry about these things. I went to visit the northern village last week. Sango died in battle many years ago, and Miroku has grown old, their three children are adults now. You should have seen them growing up. I hope that one day we can have children together one day like they are- No, I know we will." _Kagome picked up the sheet that followed. "_Miroku has gotten sick though, there has been a sickness that has been going around that is killing all the humans. I'm glad, once again, that you are not here to see these things or experience them. There are only 440 years left. The days seem to be going by quicker. I miss you terribly, and I love you."_

What did this mean? These letters seemed to be counting down the years... but why were these letters here and not him? She reached picked up the next letter, this one in an envelope of sorts. She carefully pulled off the cover. This letter was a little longer than the others, the penmanship, she noted, was continuously getting better.

_"Kagome, things are changing in Japan... demons are slowly disappearing, killing each other off. I've run in to many demons who are rabid and going crazy, and the village I am currently staying has had many of these demons attack them. Fortunately most of these demons are lesser demons, and I have no trouble finishing them off. The other stronger demons, however, seem to be killing each other for titles. In the human world theres been a new capital established in Edo by a Shogun who's forcing all the daimyo to send money and labor to help build his city... I don't usually pay attention to the politics of humans because they are full of shit, but its affecting the town I'm living in. People are too concerned with being able to pay for that building going on to worry about themselves and feed their families. I hope things are doing better where you are. Just think Kagome, if you had stayed here, you would be dead by now." _Kagome read on to the next page.

_"You are probably wondering why I am writing these letters, when I know you can't write back. Its not so much for you as it is for me. I only wrote a few pages withing the past 100 years. Things keep flashing by quicker than I expected. A day has never seemed this short before, Kagome. I'm beginning to forget about time. Minutes rush in the hours, hours into days, days into months and months into seasons. The only good thing that I like about this pace... is that it means it will feel like less time until I see you. 400 years Kagome. I'm already getting closer to you. I still love you, and nothing, not even decades and decades can change that."_ She turned onto the next small piece of paper which had only one line written on it.

_"I hope I find you before these letters do." _

----To be Continued.


	2. Chapter 2

Letters

By: Alexandra Lenria

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha

A/N: I'm so excited with all the reviews I got with my first chapter! Thanks everyone, I really appreciate it!

Chapter 2

_"I hope I find you before these letters do."_

Kagome's eyebrows came together in her confusion. What did this last line mean? She reached for the envelope on her bed and double checked for any remaining pages, but it was empty. The words rang through her head. Kagome felt a dread surge through her as she reread the single line several times. If he had written these letters, as well as sent these letters, that meant that he was here. He was in Tokyo! He had been no more than a hundred feet from her just earlier today!

...But why did he just leave these letters? Surely he would have had the thought to greet her. He would have seen her, for goodness sake, if he had left the letters at the top of the steps! And why wasn't there a return address on the envelope?

A thought crept into her mind... what if Inuyasha didn't _want_ to see her?

"No. That can't be it." she reassured herself out loud. But still, why else would these letters be here and not him? Maybe something happened... what if he had changed? After all, she was just the love of his life 500 some years ago. He probably moved on even more so than she had in these past ten years. He probably found some trophy wife someplace, had kids, grandkids, great grandkids... Maybe these were letters trying to hint to her to give up, that he's not going for her.

A knock at the door startled Kagome out of her thoughts. The door opened and Kagome's mom appeared, her hair graying at the roots and wrinkles just beginning to show on her once perfect face.

"Kagome," her mom looked worried, "Are you alright?"

Kagome suddenly felt the wetness on her face, which had gone unnoticed before, and the loud noise which croaked from her through. She had been sobbing and didn't even realize it. Quickly, she brushed away the warm liquid from her eyes.

"Y-yes..." she said as she shakily gathered the papers on her into a pile. "I'm fine." Kagome sat still, looking down at the papers. She listened to her mom's presence behind her- she could tell she didn't believe her.

"Kagome..." the older woman said softly, coming into her room. "If this is about Inuyasha... or taking care of the shrine... or anything, you can talk to me about it you know." Kagome listened as she heard the soft creaking of someone sitting on her bed.

Kagome took a deep breathe. Her mom didn't need to know about the letters. She turned around in her swivel chair and looked at mom. Her mom patted the empty space beside her on the bed. Kagome stood up and sat down and hugged her.

"Mom..." _I don't think he's coming for me._ "I miss him, I miss him so much." she said into her mom's shoulder. She had stopped crying. Kagome felt her mom pat her back soothingly- like she had years ago when Kagome finally broke down. At first Kagome believed that she wouldn't have to wait long for Inuyasha to find her, but after a few months everything just sort of crashed. Kagome's emotions were out of whack for months afterwards.

"Kagome, I think its time to move on." her mom said softly. Kagome had moved on. She shoved Inuyasha into the back of her mind, only to be remembered as if it were all a dream. She began to forget his voice. She began to forget how strange it felt to run her fingers through his ratty, untamed hair- the feel of his lips against her own... She was going to be okay, and move on.

But those letters brought everything back. She thought of Inuyasha sitting down and taking a piece of paper and awkwardly writing down these letters, telling her that he loved her and missed her. What if the true reason these letters were written was to show how naive they both were? Was it so childish to believe that after five hundred years he would still want to be with her?

"I thought I did, Mom." she said, pulling away from her. "I think I just needed to vent a bit... I'll be fine." Hopefully.

"Well, honey, if you ever need someone to talk to you can always come to me." Sure she could, and she knew that, but theres no reason to get her mom all worked up about the letters. She'd tell her about it after she found out herself just what was going on.

- - - - -

It was exactly a week later when Kagome received a larger, similarly worn package. Again, there was nothing inscribed on it except for her name and Higurashi Shrine. No return address. She was about to start down the tall stairs to go to the store when she saw the thin rectangular box resting, where she guessed, the last envelope had been placed.

Her heart raced as she bent down to grab the small box, hoping that its contents would help answer the questions the last batch of letters purposed. She picked it up causing its contents shifted quietly. There was something in it this time.

Kagome looked around to see if there was anyone there- no such luck. She quickly placed the package into her bag and started down the stairs once again. If she went back home now, her mom and grandpa would wonder why she didn't go to the store.

As the stepped onto the concrete landing she glanced around to see if there were any notable people walking away from her area, but there were just the usual people she saw as she walked to the store. These people didn't leave the package.

Kagome sighed. This past week was exhausting. Her brother had just left yesterday to travel abroad once again, busy with business, and her mom had gone ill. Kagome had gotten into the repetition of things before... Monday she swept the grounds, on Tuesday she dusted the statues, Wednesday she organized, Thursday she went to the store, and so on. Today happened to be Thursday, and she was going to the store to get groceries and medicine for her mom. That was another reason she could go up to her room and explore the contents of the box. Her mom had a fever and they didn't have any medicine for her.

Kagome stopped on the corner or a busy street and waited for the light to change. It seemed strange when she thought about the letters. She didn't even know Inuyasha could write. He may have just learned to write so he could write the letters, or maybe even as a young child his mother taught him. He was royalty- well, in a way.

The light had changed while Kagome was still in her own thoughts. Suddenly, she found herself on the ground with the contents of her purse spilled out onto the ground. She looked up and saw an older man in a business suit rushing past her about to cross the street. Her anger flared.

"You jerk!" she shouted and she got up and glared at him- he continued across the street. She quickly knelt down to pick up her things, only to see a moment later another pair of larger hands ready to assist her. The hands held the package up to her, and she looked up to the face. It was another man in a business suit, only younger- and more attractive.

"Here, I don't think you want to forget this-" he turned the package to face him,"- Kagome Higurashi." he handed it back to her and smiled. Kagome winced. He was gorgeous... and polite. _'No, no, no, Kagome.'_ She told herself. _'It won't work.'_ She took the package from him and stuffed it with her other belongings in her bag.

"Thank you so much." she said with a smile as she stood up and dusted herself off.

"People can be really rude." the man said, also rising. Kagome saw him glance at the Walk and Don't Walk sign. They missed their light. Kagome gasped.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I hope you're not in a hurry or anything." she apologized._ 'Great, just because I'm clumsy and make a fool of myself he has to be late.' _He smiled at her again.

"No, I'll be fine." Oh, good. Kagome stood beside him, and an awkward silence made the time it took for the light to change from the big red hand telling them to stay where they were to the green man running. "So, you run the Higurashi Shrine?" he said, looking out the corner of his eye down at her. She turned her head to look at him and nodded.

"Yeah, sort of. Its been in my family for generations. Unfortunately, I'm the only one who showed any promise of running it one day- so I'm kind of stuck doing it." She looked back across the street, slightly embarrassed from talking so much about something a bit personal. The light changed and they started across the street.

"Well, you and me both." Kagome looked at him with a _Yeah, right._ look. He put his hands up defensively and laughed. "I'm not saying I work at a shrine but my father pressured me into the job I have now." They were on the other side of the street and on the sidewalk.

"Is that where you're headed now?" Kagome asked. The store she was going to was down the street from where she stood, he looked to be heading the other direction.

He nodded. "Do you think I could stop by the shrine sometime and say hello?" he asked. "Maybe you could give me some more history on it then." Kagome blushed. He wanted to meet her again?

"S-sure..." she reached into her purse for a pen and scrap of paper to write down the address of the shrine. "I'm there everyday, stop by anytime." she said quickly as she scribbled the address.

"Alright then, I'll have to do that." the young man smiled and started to turn away from her, then remembered, "Oh, I'm Tatsuhiko Hayashi, by the way." Kagome nodded and he turned away again. "It was nice meeting you, Kagome Higurashi."

That was weird. That had never happened to her before. She stood there dumbfounded as she watched him go down the opposite street. He was so polite and kind... '_He isn't Inuyasha.'_ Her mind reminded her. She shook her head and reached into her purse to look at the box she received that morning. It wasn't a good idea to give that guy her address... There was still hope that Inuyasha was alive- those letters were proof. She wasn't ready to start a relationship yet. Before last week, maybe, but definitely not now. There was hope.

Right?

----To Be Continued


End file.
